Coupling



(No Model.)

J. R'. AVERY?.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

Y/m/emof/ mea R 06775',

tirreno artnr JAMES R. AVERY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CARECOUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,578, dated September 6, 1887.

Application filed December l, 1886. Serial No. 220,408. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES It. AVERY, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Louis` ville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplings in which links and pins are employed and operated, and is designed as an improvement on the invention forming the subj ect-matter of Letters Patent N o. 330,284,granted me November l0, 1885.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of the coupling shown, as above referred to, with a view to making the operations thereof more positive and reliable and to render the apparatus more efficient.

I/Vith these objects in view my invention resides, essentially, in a car-coupling comprisinga coupler-head, a draw-bar upon which the coupler-head has longitudinal movement, a pivotal cross-bar providing` a bearing for the draw-bar and an abutment for springs thereon, interposed between the coupler-head and cross-bar and between the cross-bar and a Washer impinged against a key provided near the rear end of the draw-bar, draft-rods connecting the coupler or pivotal cross-bar with the king-bolttransom of a car, and plates or j ournal-bearings provided for attachment to cars, locomotives, and tenders.

Furthermore, the invention resides in a coupling constructed as specified, having a lever pivoted in a hanger, said hanger depending from the coupler-head, and being provided at one end with a coupling-pin and rearward with a cross rod or pin, there being a latch-hanger interposed between the rear end of the draftsspring and a key, or, preferably, between the rear end of the buffer-spring, and a key bearing against the crossbar transversely through the draw-bar, thereby preventing the rearward movement of either, or both draw-bar and hanger. The latch-hanger is provided with gravitating latches arranged to engage the crossrod of the lever carrying the conplingpin, and thereby withhold said pin from the linkfcavity preparatory to a coupling.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a pin or lever operating device, whereby the operation of the coupling is .rendered more reliable, positive, secure, and efficient.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the relative position of the parts preparatory to coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a couplerhead, the pin-hole extending through the coupler-head and having in the upper front wall a pin-seat. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the draw-bar and keys, showing the position of the keys in the draw-bar. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the crossbar. which the lever for operating the couplingpin is pivoted. latchlniechanism'or hanger which holds the lever for operating the coupling-pin in position preparatory to coupling. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views ofthe plates which form bearings for the cross-bar. Fig. l0 is a detail View of the device which operates the lever and consequently brings the coupling-pin in position ready for coupling.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the couplerheargl, which is provided with an inc-lined and curved mouth to its linkcavity, formed by converging plane walls blending with convex or, preferably, reverse circular walls, so

that a link is received, directed, and guided to said cavity for the purpose of receiving the coupling-pin. A pin-seat, p, is formed in the upper front wall ofthe pin-hole, tohold apin, I?, therein for coupling from above. Thesaine pin-hole may be used in coupling from below; but for coupling from below I prefer that the pin-hole shall enter the link-cavity vertically through its lower wall, passing therethrough into its upper wall in socket form, as shown in Fig. l, to prevent the accumulation oi' anything that will interfere with the operations of the link and pin therein.

The rear end oi' the coupler-head A, I have provided with a hollow neck having recesses or pin-seats c and hanger-holes d. 'lDhcdrawbar B is provided with key-holes near each end and intermediate, having keys b, F, and b', as in Fig. l. The said draw-bar slides in Fig. 7 is a detail View of the Fig. 6 is a detail view of the hanger to the hollow neck of the coupler-head, and its longitudinal movement therein is regulated by the length of the recesses or pin-seats a', in which rests the pin b.

Crepresents a pivotal cross-bar provided with nibs c, forming journals entering the center holes of the plates G, said plates being sccured to the frame of a car, locomotive, or tender with bolts and nuts or equivalents. This cross-bar C forms an abutment for the ends ofthe springs c and c?, or the spring c' bears at one end against the coupler-head A and at the other against the latch-hanger E, impinging against the key b', interposed between the said hanger E 'and cross-bar (l, so that when two couplers cometogether the force imparted is received by the spring c with yielding resistance, thereby preventing violence and injury to persons and property and operating to release the cross-rod lof the lever L.

Thev rearward movement of the draw-bar B through the cross-bar G is prevented by the 3o f, in its edge for security against displacement,

and with beveled edges converging to one end for convenient insertion, and the notch fis sloped, diverging toward the opposite end of said key, for convenient withdrawal. The key F thus formed, having uniform thickness, forces the contraction of the spring c only as required for its insertion and withdrawal from the draw-bar. The force of draft is exerted upon the spring c2, and the spring partially yielding to this forcea gentler and easier start is obtained than is usual in t-he use of couplers now employed.

In order that the coupling may be made to act automatically when two of my couplers (attached to cars, locomotives, or tenders) come together, I have provided the couplerhead with thehangerDandthedraw-barBwith the hanger E depending therefrom between the springs c and key b', or between the springs cz and key F. In this hanger D, depending from the coupler-head upon the pin d, is pivoted an operatingflever, L, upon the front end of which is pivotally attached the coupling- V pin P. The rear end of this pin-operating lever L is provided with a 4transverse pin or rod, I, and I provide the hanger E with gravitylatches E', the normal position of the pin or rod I being on the top of the gravity-latches E. Thus in its normal position the couplingpin will remain below the link-cavity, as shown in Fig. l. When the cars come together and the coupler -heads A are forced rearward, the lever or levers L, by reason of being pivoted in the hanger or hangers D, carried by the coupler head or heads A, are moved rearward sufficient to allow the pin I to clear the gravity-latches E. This allows the rear end of the lever L, which is the heavier, to fall, moving the forward end, carrying the coupling-pin, upward, and with it the coupling-pin into position to engage the couplinglink.

In order to disengage or withdraw the coupling-pin from the lin'k it is only necessary to raise the rear end of the operating pin lever L. For this purpose Ihave constructed apln or lever operating device pivoted to a carfraine preferably below and horizontal vto the coupler and above the pin-lever L. (Shown in Fig. l.) This device consists preferably of a wrought-iron rod, M, having an arm, M', with a loop, M2, engaging the lever L, also angled ends N, by the elevation of which the rear end of the lever L is raised. The cross-rod I passes the gravity-latches E and is suspended thereby, and the pin P is withdrawn and withheld. This result may be obtained by taking hold of either angle N and turning its ends crank fashion from the side of the car.

For greater security, strength of combination, and protection to the car frame and draft-timbers,I connect the cross-bar C rigidly to the king-bolt transom by means of rods H, and provide angles g and bolt g, in combination with plates G, for attachment to cars, locomotives, or tenders.

Referring to the coupler-head A, the pinseat in the upper front wall of the pin-hole is a feature shown in Letters Patent No. 315,884, issued to me April 14, 1885. Thelink-cavity, rest, and draw-bar cavity, entrance thereto and'exit therefrom, and the pin-hole entering the linkcavity th ro ugh its lower wall vertically into its upper wall in socket form, the drawbar B, the cross-bar C, hanger l), with lever L, provided with pin Rand draft-rods H, con-l necting two cross-bars/upon the same car, are parts and features substantially as set forth in Letters Patent No. 830,284, issued to me November 10, 1885.

Having thus fully described my invention and specified that which is old and heretofore granted me by Letters Patent referred to, what I claim as new, and hereby desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupler, a hanger provided with a gravity latch or latches, consisting of pieces secured in slots in saidhanger, the tops of which pieces form a rest for the transverse rod of the pin-operating lever, substantially as shownand described.

2. In a car-coupler, a key having one of its ends tapering, whereby insertion is rendered easy, and having near its other end a depres- .sion or notch, one edge of which forms a shoulder adapted to rest upon the draw-bar, and the 'other edge, being beveled, provides means whereby the key may be driven out of the slot without injury to either, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a car-coupler, of a coupler-head, a draw-bar secured therein by a key which passes through a slot in the IOO IIO

draw-bar and engages a slot in the couplerhead, a cross-bar, a spring interposed between the cross-bar and the coupler-head, a lever` tween the cross-bar and the coupler-head, a lever carrying a coupling-pin and mounted in a hanger depending from the c0uplerhead, and a hanger depending from the cross-bar between the coupler-head and the rear end of the lever, said hanger having slots and provided with pieces secured in the slots, forming a gravity-latch, substantially :as and for Y the purposes set forth.

5. In a car-coupler, the coupler-head heving a pin-hole with the seatp, the link-cavity with an entrance and opening thereto, the link and a draw-bar cavity, a, therefrom, the hollow neck with key-seats a therein, and hanger-holes d, substantially as shown, and for the purposes specified.

6. In a car-coupler, the coupler-head A, the draw-bar B, the coupler-bar C, the hangers D and E, the key F, the plates G, the rods H, the pin-lever L, and the lever-operating device M, all respectively and collectively as shown, for the purposes specied.

Signed and witnessed November 27, 1886.

JAMES R. AVERY. Witnesses: l

(l. F. BENNETT, W. B. BLACK. 

